NE DC Catholic school was vandalised, and Leaders suspect it was motivated by hatred

Just a few weeks before the start of the new school year, someone broke into the property of a Northeast D.C. Catholic school and destroyed their namesake statue, leaving the community in shock. The Brookland neighbourhood school, St. Anthony Catholic School, is commemorating its 100th year, but before students return in two weeks, it must literally pick up the pieces. The vandals smashed the statue of St. Anthony by the entrance, tore the benches from the ground, and harmed the building. The statue lost its head as it crashed through the window sill. The principal of the school, Mike Thomasian, acknowledged that he and other members of the student body are still in shock.

"I visited him down there. The head had been severed. I started by looking for the head, but there was no sign of it "explained Thomasian. "Just astonished and brokenhearted. That statue was given to me. It serves as the school's signature. There, kids snap pictures and take care of the garden. You stand there with your diploma when you graduate. It is not just a background. I was just astonished to see it destroyed in such a way, like it was a hate crime."

The vandalism was reported to the school on Friday, and a police report was made on Sunday. They anticipate receiving their case number returned on Monday. Thomasian asserted that he doesn't see this as a straightforward vandalism issue. Despite not knowing the perpetrator's thoughts or motivations, Thomasian remarked, "I witness the vandalism, the destruction of something very dear to us, and it simply aches to see that." Never before have explicit religious objects suffered such harm and vandalism. Actually, it's a defilement. It is an act of hatred, but I have no idea what the perpetrator was thinking or what motivated them to do it.

Raquel Terry, a teacher there and the mother of two St. Anthony children, continued: "If the only damage were to the seats, the building, or damage similar to what we've seen in the past at the small library, the neighbourhood would perceive it as vandalism. But the statue gives it the impression that it was intentionally hateful." Parents are concerned for their kids after this happened. According to Terry, the school serves as a safe haven for her children and the other pupils, therefore the occurrence has taken her peace of mind away.

"Making sure they are aware of how much they are loved as well as teaching them how to love their neighbours is a part of my responsibility. It's quite hurtful when we spend so much time doing that and all of a sudden you start to feel like there might be some individuals who don't like you "Terry uttered. "My children feel comfortable here. The community truly values this school. That incident felt very personal and like a really tragic attack on the local church and school."

The community has given the school a beam of hope despite the terrible times. As of the time of writing, Terry's GoFundMe page has received more than $12,000 in donations to help with the cost of the repairs. I want to do something, I stated at first, Terry recalled. "I believe that they really wanted to circle around the school to let us know we are loved by the community since this neighbourhood is so strong and so proud," Terry remarked.

Thomasian claimed that this tragedy will also put their adherence to their school's philosophy to the test. Thomasian stated, "We have a theme for the new year. "'Looking back with thankfulness, looking forward with delight' is the theme. That is what we will carry out.